Prunus

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium).

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Prunus, genus of more than 400 species of flowering shrubs and trees in the rose family (Rosaceae). The genus Prunus is native to northern temperate regions. It has a number of economically important members, including the cultivated almond, peach, plum, cherry, and apricot. In addition, many species flower prolifically and are grown as ornamentals.

Prunus members can be deciduous or evergreen and typically bear simple leaves with toothed margins. Many species have a pair of characteristic glands at the base of the leaf blade. The five-petaled flowers are often showy with numerous stamens and bear drupes known colloquially as stone fruits. Some species, such as blackthorn (P. spinosa), have thorns and are useful as protective hedges.